Anita Lo (born 1965) is an American chef and restaurateur. In 2001, she was named by Food & Wine magazine one of ten "Best New Chefs in America".Annisa Restaurant, Annisa Restaurant Biography Retrieved October 7, 2010.
Biography Early life Anita Lo, a first-generation Chinese American, grew up in Birmingham, Michigan.Most Powerful Women in New York 2007, Crainsnewyork.com, 2007
She graduated from Concord Academy and then from Columbia University, where she earned a degree in French literature. While a student at the culinary school L’Ecole Ritz-Escoffier, she interned with top French chefs Guy Savoy and Michel Rostang.
Lo is a lesbian.
Career After completing culinary school in Paris, Lo returned to New York where she worked at several restaurants including Chanterelle, Can, a French-Vietnamese restaurant, and Maxim's. She then moved to Mirezi restaurant, where she earned headlines and rave reviews from restaurant critics, including Ruth Reichl from The New York Times.Top Chef Biography, Anita Lo Top Chef Masters Official Biography Retrieved October 7, 2010.
In 2000, Anita Lo and her business partner Jennifer Scism opened Annisa in New York's Greenwich Village. Annisa received a two-star review from The New York Times, Lo was named to Food & Wine magazine's list of the ten “Best New Chefs in America”, and The Village Voice named her the “Best New Restaurant Chef.” In 2006, Annisa was awarded a Michelin star in the first Michelin Guide for New York City.
In 2005, Anita Lo co-founded Rickshaw, a dumpling bar with several locations in New York City. She left Rickshaw in 2010, saying that she wanted to devote more time to the recently re-opened Annisa and to her other professional interests.The New York Times, Anita Lo Leaves Rickshaw Dumpling Bar July 6, 2010. Retrieved 2010-10-08. In 2008, she opened Bar Q, a barbecue-Asian fusion restaurant in Greenwich Village. Bar Q received favorable food reviews but somewhat critical reviews for service and was not universally well received by residents in the neighborhood. It closed after ten months.Gothamist, Anita Lo's Bar Q Has Closed February 17, 2009. Retrieved 2010-10-07.
On July 4, 2009, Annisa was destroyed by fire. The restaurant reopened in April 2010 at the same location.Bloomberg News, Columbia Graduate Cooks Feng Shui Menus at Annisa August 18, 2010. Retrieved 2010-10-07. The reopened restaurant was reviewed again by The New York Times and again received two stars.The New York Times, Annisa Restaurant Review June 10, 2010. Retrieved 2010-10-07. Scism also left Annisa in June 2010, leaving Lo as the sole owner. In 2011, the Greenwich Village Society for Historic Preservation recognized the restaurant's excellence with a Village Award."Awards" on the Greenwich Village Society for Historic Preservation website Annisa received three stars from The New York Times in 2014.The New York Times, Annisa Loses Its Host, and an Owner July 16, 2010. Retrieved 2010-10-07.
In 2015, Anita Lo was the first female guest chef to cook for a State dinner at the White House. She prepared a 4-course meal for the state visiting Chinese leader, Xi Jinping and his wife Peng Liyuan. In May 2017, after 17 years of business, she closed the Annisa on financial grounds, blaming the continuous increase of real estate taxes and of minimum wages.Sierra Tishgart, After 17 Years, This 3-Star Chef’s Closing Her Restaurant Because It’s ‘Grow or Die’, Grubstreet.com, February 2, 2017Melissa McCart, Update: Annisa’s Last Day of Service is May 27, Eater.com, January 12, 2017
Television appearances 2005: Appearance on the first season of Iron Chef America. She competed against Iron Chef Mario Batali in Battle Mushrooms, defeating Batali by a score of 54-45. She was the first challenger to win a battle on Iron Chef America and remained the only female challenger to win until Traci Des Jardins defeated Batali in Episode 5 of Season 2. 2009: Contestant on the first season of Top Chef Masters. She finished in fourth place among the 24 competing chefs, earning $20,000 for her chosen charity, SHARE. 2011: Contestant on Chopped: All-Stars Tournament. She lost to Nate Appleman. In 2018 she was profiled in Maya Gallus's documentary film The Heat: A Kitchen (R)evolution.Isabel Teotonio, "New documentary the Heat puts spotlight on female chefs in male-dominated industry". Toronto Star, April 24, 2018.
Works Solo: A Modern Cookbook for a Party of One, Knopf, 2018
See also History of the Chinese Americans in Metro Detroit
References
External links Annisa Restaurant Official Website